Molds for casting intercell connectors for use in electric storage batteries



United States Patent Inventor Peter Norman Coward Solihull, England Appl. No. 717,326 Filed March 29, 1968 Patented Dec. 1, I970 Assignee Joseph Lucas (Industries) Limited Birmingham, England Priority April 5, 1967 Great Britain No. 15679/67 MOLDS FOR CASTING INTERCELL CONNECTORS FOR USE IN ELECTRIC STORAGE BATTERIES 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 249/63, l36/176,249l177, 18/, 164/340;345, 164/397, 164/404;331 Int. Cl. B29c 11/00 Field of Search 164/331,

404, 401, 397, 344, 345, 347, 340, (Battery Digest); 249/(infra), 63, 64, 74, 142, 75, 172, 171, 170; 136/176, (Inquired); 18/(Core Positioning Digest); 22/(Battery Digest) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,478,786 12/1923 I-lazelett 136/1762 3,424,229 l/l969 Gunnergaard-Poulsen 136/340 3,449,170 6/1969 Thornblad et a1. 136/176X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,558,873 1/1969 France 136/176 Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-V. Rising Attorney-Holman, Downing & Seebold ABSTRACT: In the moulding of intercell connectors for electric storage batteries, a body which is carried by a conveyor on an automatic casting machine has an impression of the required intercell connector in it. Molten metal is poured into the impression, and a core piece is provided which is pivotally engaged with the body, the core piece being movable from a first position which is occupied when the molten metal is poured into the impression, to a second position in which it permits ejection of the intercell connector from the mould.

Patented Dec. 1, 1970 Sheet INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 1, 1970 Sheet INVENTOR @MW. BY

' ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 1, 1970 Sheet ATTORNEYS This invention relates to moulds for casting intercell connecters for use in electricstorage batteries, the moulds being used in automatic casting machines of the kind including a conveyor carrying a plurality of moulds in turn through a filling station wherein the moulds are filled with molten metal and then through an emptying station wherein the cast parts are ejected from the moulds.

The term intercell connecter is used herein to mean a conductive member having a pair of portions adapted to be engaged with lugs projecting from a pair of battery plate packs respectively the packs being housed in adjacent cells of a battery, and a generally U-shaped bridge portion integral with said pair of portions respectively which extends over the cornmon wall between said adjacent cells.

A mould according to the invention comprises a body adapted to be carried on the conveyor of an automatic casting machine of the kind specified, having therein an impression of an intercell connecter, into which molten metal flows in use, and a core piece pivotally engaged with the body, the core piece being movable from a first position which it occupies when the impression is filled with molten metal and wherein it extends within the impression so as to constitute the part of the impression corresponding to the slot between the limbs of the U-shaped bridging portion of the intercell connecter and a second position wherein it extends clear of the impression so that the intercell connecter can be ejected from the mould.

One example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a mould,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of'the mould shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side view of the core piece shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an intercell connecter formed in the mould shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of an automatic casting machine utilizing moulds according to said one example of the invention.

Referring to the drawings the mould includes a body 11 adapted to be carried on the conveyor of an automatic casting machine. The body 11 has therein an impression 12 of an intercell connecter 13 (FIG. 5) having a pair of comblike portions 14 between the teeth 15 of which sets of lugs respectively of a battery plate pack housed in adjacent cells of a battery are engaged in use. The portions 14 are interconnected by an inverted U-shaped bridging portion 16 which in use extends over the common wall of the adjacent cells of the battery. In order that the portion 16 can be cast as a U-shaped member there is provided a core piece 17 which is pivotally engaged with the body 1 1 and which is movable between a first position wherein it occupies part of the impression 12 to constitute the slot of the U-shaped portion 16 during casting operation and a second position wherein it extends clear of the impression 12 so that a cast intercell connecter can be removed therefrom.

Extending through the body 11 and communicating with the impression 12 are a plurality of bores 18 within each of which is slidably received a pushrod 19.

In use a plurality of bodies 11 are supported on an endless conveyor 23 which extends parallel with and vertically below a second endless conveyor 24% beneath a filling station 25. The conveyor '24 carries a plurality of manifold blocks 26 which engage respective bodies 11 as they pass beneath the filling station 25 each block 26 serving to guide a flow of molten lead from the filling station 25 into the impression 12 in the respective body 11. As the conveyors 23, 24 move beyond the filling station 25 cam means (not shown) associated with the conveyors 23, 24 causes relative movement between each body 11 and its respective manifold block 26 to break the risers in the manifold block 26 from the intercell connecter in the body 1 1.

As the conveyors 23, 24 progress the manifold blocks 26 and the bodies 11 become separated. When a manifold block 26 has separated from its respective body 11, the body 11 is then inverted and carried to an emptying station 27 wherein a further push rod 22 slidable in a respective bore 21 in the body 11 is actuated to pivot the core piece 17 out of the impression 12 if this has not already taken place under gravity when the body 11 is inverted. At the same time the pushrods 19 are actuated to knock the cast intercell connecter from the impression 12, the position of the pushrods 19 being further from the pivot point of the core piece 17 than pushrod 22, thereby ensuring that the core piece 17 is clear of the mould before ejection takes place.

It will be appreciated that since the conveyor 23 is endless, each body 11 will subsequently be returned to the filling station 25 to commence another casting cycle. As each body 11 approaches the filling station 25 its respective core piece 17 moves back to its position occupying part of the impression 12 and the pushrod 19 and 22 are moved back by cam means 28 to their positions in preparation for the subsequent casting operation.

I claim:

1. A mould for casting an intercell connecter comprising: a body adapted to be carried on the conveyor of an automatic casting machine and having therein an impressionof the intercell connecter adapted to receive molten metal; and a core piece pivotally engaged with the body, the core piece being movable from a first position which it occupies when the impression is filled with molten metal and during which it extends within the impression so as to constitute a part of the impression corresponding to a slot between limbs of a Ushaped bridging portion of the intercell connecter, and a second position wherein it extends clear of the impression so that the intercell connecter can be ejected from the mould.

2. A mould as claimed in claim 1 including a pushrod opera ble by a part associated with said conveyor to move said core piece to said second position.

3. A mould as claimed in claim 1 including a plurality of pushrods operable by a part associated with said conveyorto eject the cast intercell connecter from the mould. 

